Lunar Lander Beyond Review: Reinventing the Classic

Hey Atari, listen up: we really love the way you repurpose gems from the past as if they were coming out of a time machine straight into our modern consoles. And now, with Lunar Lander Beyond, it looks like you decided to turn an arcade classic into a kind of space soap opera with more talk than action. How delightful… just not.

Return to the Moon with a Mexican Soap Opera Touch

Ok, I confess that I watched a lot of SBT soap operas like MARIMARbut… Remember Lunar Lander, that simple and adorable game from 1979 where the biggest thrill was not crashing your ship on the lunar surface? Well Dreams Uncorporated decided that this was not enough. Now in Lunar Lander Beyond, in addition to landing the ship, you also have to listen to the existential dramas of your pilot. Because obviously what the original game was really missing was some existential angst and philosophical debates as you try not to crash into the Moon.

Dialogue and More Dialogue: Because Who Needs Gameplay?

A Touch of Psychology to Spice Up the Drama

And don't think you're just going to fly off and land in peace. No, now your drivers can have nervous breakdowns if you crash too much. Imagine, trained space pilots who lose control at the first sign of stress. What a wonderful advancement in space flight simulation! And if that wasn't enough, you can still treat them with medication and post-mission therapy, because apparently now we are spatial psychologists also. Great show, Atari!

A Campaign That Prefers Talking Instead of Flying

When you finally manage to play between one monologue and another, you discover that the missions are so short that you barely have time to appreciate the flight mechanics, which, let's be honest, are pretty decent. The game shines when it actually lets you do what it came to do: pilot and land. But these moments are so fleeting that you may feel like you're just participating in a trailer series for what could be an incredible game.

Conclusion: For Fans of Lander Simulators… and Soap Operas

Lunar Lander Beyond It's a solid simulator with beautiful visuals and smooth performance on consoles, but it's overshadowed by its narrative-heavy campaign. Those looking for a pure, uncomplicated gaming experience may find themselves wishing for less soap opera and more action. Maybe it's time for Atari to consider adding a simple arcade mode that really respects the legacy of the original, focusing on landing, flying and scoring – you know, like the good old Atari timeswhen we played more and talked less.

Pros

• Smooth Graphics and Performance: Good performance, with visuals that bring nostalgic gameplay to life with a modern twist.
• Authentic Flight Mechanics: Physics-based gameplay captures the spirit of the classic well while maintaining precision and challenge.
• Innovative Stress Management Elements: Adds a layer of psychological depth when managing pilots' stress, introducing a new dimension to the game.
• Variety of Missions and Challenges: Despite being short, the missions offer a variety of challenges that keep the game interesting.

Cons

• Narrative Overload: Excessive dialogue and a plot that tries to be more complex than necessary, distracting from what really matters: the gameplay.
• Short, Fragmented Missions: Missions frequently interrupted by narrative sequences make the game feel disjointed and detract from the pace of the action.
• Lack of a Genuine Arcade Mode: The absence of a game mode focused purely on skill and scoring is a missed opportunity, leaving aside what made the original beloved.
• Gameplay Can Be Repetitive: Without the right balance between narrative and action, flight sessions can start to feel repetitive and less engaging.

Rating: 6.5/10.0

While Lunar Lander Beyond brings interesting innovations and solid gameplay mechanics, is lethargically hampered by an overly narrative campaign and a deviation from the roots that could have made this a true successor to the classic arcade.